Mobile computer terminals or devices (hereinafter “mobile devices” or simply “devices”) are used for a wide variety of tasks. Such mobile devices allow workers using them (“users”) to maintain mobility, while providing the users with desirable computing and data gathering and processing functions. One example of a specific use for a mobile device is within a product management system that involves product distribution and tracking as well as product inventory management. Such systems are sometimes referred to as warehouse management systems (WMS). In a conventional WMS system, a large number of users (each using a mobile device) are directed, through speech, to move throughout a warehouse and complete various tasks, such as to pick certain products to fill an order or to put away or replenish items at storage locations. To that end, the mobile devices are loaded prior to the start of each user work shift with one or more work applications. Such work applications each include a plurality of tasks that are to be performed by the user in a particular workflow cycle. The work application is then executed by the mobile device, with the mobile device facilitating execution of the work application. In that way, the workflow cycle is completed (more particularly, the various tasks of the work application are completed) and data that is associated with the work application/workflow cycle is generated and collected.
Such mobile devices utilize portable power elements, such as batteries for power. The power consumption of the mobile device facilitating execution of the work application may vary somewhat radically based upon the work application that is being executed on the mobile device. The load on the CPU or other processor required by a work application may be different between various work applications. For example, some work applications consume power in bursting spikes of high power consumption, while other work applications might consume a higher consistent and average amount of power.
While the user may know the remaining battery capacity from a fuel gauge (an exemplary battery monitor) of the mobile device or another source, the current mobile device user cannot translate the fuel gauge information (remaining battery capacity) into the number of workflow cycles that can be completed with the mobile device facilitating execution of a particular work application. Therefore, the user may unexpectedly have to change or recharge a battery in the middle of a particular work application or shift, if the remaining battery capacity becomes too low or if power is lost. Recharging or changing batteries or losing power within the middle of a particular work application or shift cuts down on the efficiency of a user, and therefore, increases the overall cost of performing the workflow cycle.
Therefore, a need exists for methods for estimating a number of workflow cycles able to be completed from the remaining battery capacity of a battery in the battery-powered mobile device facilitating execution of a particular work application.